Breakage incidence with direct-bonded lingual retainers.

This study examined the effects of a number of patient and clinical variables on the breakage of bonded retainers, and consisted of a retrospective review of the survival of 200 bonded retainers. Data was collected from two clinical centres between November 1996 and February 1997. The subjects comprised 198 patients of both sexes divided into three age groups. Retainers at both centres were made in 018-inch co-axial wire with Relyabond and Helioprogress adhesives used at each respective centre. The effects on time to first breakage of adhesive, patient sex, and arch (upper/lower) were considered using Kaplan Meier survival graphs and in Log Rank Tests. Finally, a Cox Proportional Hazard Model was used to examine the joint effects of these factors and the patients' ages. Breakage over a 5-year period with Relyabond was 38.8 per cent upper, 22.1 per cent lower, and with Helioprogress 75 per cent upper and 23.2 per cent lower. Breakage appears to be unrelated to the materials used or to the age and sex of the patients. Upper retainers break more often than lowers (P = 0.016) and early breakage is more likely to occur at an adhesive pad than at a wire (9.6 versus 2.5 per cent within 6 months).     

Urinary citrate in preterm and term babies

OBJECTIVES: (1) To determine a normal range for urinary citrate for term babies. (2) To compare urinary citrate measured in ex preterm babies at term with this normal range. (3) To evaluate whether urinary citrate was related to presence of nephrocalcinosis (NC) and chronic Lung Disease (CLD) in these ex preterm babies. STUDY DESIGN: Urinary citrate was measured in 38 healthy term babies (mean birth weight 3.52 kg, mean gestation 41 weeks) at a mean postnatal age of 3 days (1-5 days) and in 53 ex preterm babies (<32 weeks gestation at birth) at term. These preterm babies were part of a larger study on NC in which two renal ultrasound scans were performed at 1 month and term. RESULTS: The normal range for urinary citrate in term babies was 0.025-2.97 (mean 1.03) mmol/l and citrate/creatinine ratio 0.0011-0.852 (mean 0.27). In the ex-preterm urinary citrate was not significantly different (mean 1.1 vs. 1.03, p=0.7232) but urine citrate/creatinine ratio was significantly higher (mean 1.27 vs. 0.27, p=0.0005). There was no significant difference in urinary citrate or ratios of citrate/creatinine and calcium/citrate in the 11 (20.7%) with NC or in the 17 (32%) babies with CLD. There was no significant relationship found between duration of TPN and urinary citrate measured at term. CONCLUSION: We have determined a normal range for urinary citrate in healthy term babies in the first week of life. The range was very wide. Ex preterm babies had similar values at term and there was no association between urinary citrate and NC or CLD.     

Destruction of the rabbit endometrium using a low-powered Neodymium-YAG laser

A low-powered (1–3 W) Nd-YAG laser was used to destroy the rabbit endometrium. Initial experiments showed that symmetrical lesions causing full thickness endometrial damage occurred at 2 W with exposure times of 100 s. Using these parameters the entire endometrium in one uterine horn was treated by overlapping lesions. Histology performed up to 14 weeks later showed that either the entire uterine horn was absent and replaced by a fibrous strand or regeneration of the endometrium occurred with reduced regrowth of villi and glands. However, because rabbit myometrium is extremely thin (1–3 mm) the depth of destruction needed was a fine balance between either too much damage causing entire horn loss or too little leaving undamaged areas which subsequently regenerated. This technique has proved to be effective, simple and safe. Even with complete destruction of a uterine horn the animal remained well, suffering no complications. The technique is now ready for pilot clinical trials.     

The South Tyneside FASTRAK service: evaluation of a new model for day surgery

Objective: To evaluate a service (FASTRAK) offering general practitioners direct access to day surgery operative waiting lists, based on explicit guidelines regarding patient suitability for surgery and anaesthesia. Design: Notes abstraction for a cohort of patients referred via FASTRAK and a cohort referred via conventional day surgery routes; postal questionnaire survey of patient satisfaction amongst FASTRAK patients and matched controls referred via conventional routes; postal survey of professional satisfaction. Setting: One district general hospital in the north east of England, and all general practices in that district. Subjects: 1278 patients (1100 conventional day case patients; 178 FASTRAK patients) for notes abstraction; 70 patients for patient satisfaction survey 83 general practitioners for professional satisfaction survey. Main outcome measures: interval from referral to operation, and appropriateness of referral; patient experience and satisfaction with hospital and post-discharge care, especially with respect to information provision, for patient survey; overall rating of service, perceived benefits and disadvantages and future intentions for professional satisfaction survey. Results: The interval from referral to operation was significantly shorter for FASTRAK patients by a median of 91 days. Out of a total of 178 FASTRAK referrals, only seven (4%) were inappropriate whilst diagnosis was wrong in three (2%) cases. Patients referred via FASTRAK were much more likely to have received written information prior to admission (83 vs. 37%: χ²=12.25. P=0.0019). General practitioners (GPs) had positive views of the service; 94% rated it as ‘fair' to ‘very good'. GPs, 90%, perceived the main benefit to patients to be a shorter waiting time for operation; 40% felt that the availability of clear information for patients benefited doctors. Increased general practitioner workload was recognised as a disadvantage (61%) and the main barrier to use of the service was lack of eligible patients under the current guidelines (69%). Conclusions: When diagnosis, indication for surgery and fitness for anaesthesia are not in doubt, general practitioners, given appropriate guidance, are able to provide all the necessary pre-operative services that are usually provided in the general surgical outpatient clinic, without prejudicing the quality of care or decreasing patient satisfaction.     

An agenda for change in referral--consensus from general practice.

BACKGROUND. Wide variations in rates of referral from primary to secondary care have been a matter of concern for many years. Effective strategies for optimizing referral depend on doctors being able to understand what the influences on their referral behaviour are, as well as having the ability to identify priority areas for action and to develop strategies for pushing through effective measures. AIM. This study set out to ascertain general practitioners' priorities for change with respect to the referral process, and to set an agenda for change to be tackled by general practitioners, providers, policy makers and educationalists. METHOD. Through the use of the Delphi technique and focused interviews, general practitioners throughout Northumberland contributed to the consensus view. RESULTS. The main themes to emerge related to hospital waiting lists, open access, flow of information between secondary and primary care and general practitioners' knowledge and training. Ideas for implementing change included the production of directories of hospital services and the development of guidelines for the use of the term 'urgent' in referral letters. CONCLUSION. All of the proposed changes are manageable and share the burden between general practice and other professionals with an interest in the referral process.